EMBEDDED SYSTEMS

Topic: Introduction to Embedded Systems

Unit No:-1
CO:-R16C406A.1 Describe the blocks of Embedded
system, Characteristics,Quality Attributes, Application
& Domain Specific Embedded Systems
PO’s:-PO1,PO2,PO3,PO12
Mohammed Abdul Aziz
Assistant Professor
Electronics and Communication
Engineering
Syllabus
UNIT-I
INTRODUCTION: Embedded system-Definition, history of
embedded systems, classification of embedded systems, major
application areas of embedded systems, purpose of embedded
systems, the typical embedded system-core of the embedded
system, Memory, Sensors and Actuators, Communication
Interface, Embedded firmware, Characteristics of an embedded
system, Quality attributes of embedded systems, Application-
specific and Domain-Specific examples of an embedded system.
UNIT-II
EMBEDDED HARDWARE DESIGN: Analog and digital
electronic components, I/O types and examples, Serial
communication devices, Parallel device ports, Wireless
devices, Timer and counting devices, Watchdog timer,
Real time clock.
UNIT-III
EMBEDDED FIRMWARE DESIGN: Embedded Firmware
design approaches, Embedded Firmware development
languages, ISR concept, Interrupt sources, Interrupt
servicing mechanism, Multiple interrupts, DMA, Device
driver programming, Concepts of C versus Embedded C
and Compiler versus Cross-compiler.
 
UNIT-IV
REAL TIME OPERATING SYSTEM: Operating system
basics, Types of operating systems, Tasks, Process and
Threads, Multiprocessing and Multitasking, Task
Scheduling, Threads, Processes and Scheduling, Task
communication, Task synchronization, Device Drivers.
HARDWARE SOFTWARE CO-DESIGN: Fundamental
Issues in Hardware Software Co-Design, Computational
models in embedded design, Hardware software Trade-
offs, Integration of Hardware and Firmware, ICE.
 
UNIT-V
EMBEDDED SYSTEM DEVELOPMENT: The integrated
development environment, Types of files generated on
cross-compilation, Deassembler/Decompiler,
Simulators, Emulators and Debugging, Target hardware
debugging, Boundary Scan, Embedded Software
development process and tools.
UNIT-VI
EMBEDDED SYSTEM IMPLEMENTATION AND TESTING:
The main software utility tool, CAD and the hardware,
Translation tools-Pre-processors, Interpreters,
Compilers and Linkers, Debugging tools, Quality
assurance and testing of the design, Testing on host
machine, Simulators, Laboratory Tools.
What is a System?
 A system is a way of working, organizing or doing one or
many tasks according to a fixed plan, program or set of
rules.
 A system is also an arrangement in which all its units
assemble and work together according to the plan or
program.
 SYSTEM
WATCH
EXAMPLES
It is a time display SYSTEM
Parts: Hardware, Needles, Battery, Dial, Chassis and Strap
Rules
 All needles move clockwise only
 A thin needle rotates every second
 A long needle rotates every minute
 A short needle rotates every hour
 All needles return to the original position after 12 hours
 EMBEDDED
Definition: An Embedded System is one that has computer
hardware withSYSTEM
software embedded in it as one of its
important components. Its software embeds
in ROM (Read Only
Memory). It does not
need secondary
memories as in a
computer
SOFTWARE PROGRAM
#include <16f876a.h>
#use delay (clock=20000000)
#byte PORTB=6

HARDWAR main()
{

E
set_tris_b(0);
portb=255;
//decimal
delay_ms(1000);
portb=0x55;
//hexadecimal
delay_ms(1000);
portb=0b10101010; //binary
delay_ms(500);
}
Other Definitions
 We can define an embedded system as “A microprocessor
based system that does not look like a computer”.

Or
 we can say that it is “A combination of computer hardware
and software, and perhaps additional mechanical or other
parts, designed to perform a dedicated function. In some
cases, embedded systems are part of a larger system or
product, as is the case of an antilock braking system in a
car ”.
 An embedded product uses a microprocessor
(or
microcontroller) to do one task and one task only.

 A printer is an example of embedded system since the

processor inside it performs only one task; namely, getting
the data and printing it.
EMBEDDED SYSTEM
EXAMPLE
WASHING MACHINE
It is an automatic clothes washing SYSTEM
Parts: Status display panel, Switches & Dials, Motor, Power
supply & control unit, Inner water level sensor and
solenoid valve.
Rules
 Wash by spinning
 Rinse
 Drying
 Wash over by blinking
 Each step display the process stage
 In case interruption, execute only the remaining
 Significance
Due to their compact size, low cost and simple design
aspects made embedded systems very popular and
encroached into human lives and have become
indispensable.
 History
• In the earliest years of
computers in 1930 – 40s,
computers were sometimes
dedicated to a single purpose
task.

• One of the first recognizably

modern embedded system was
the Apollo Guidance Computer,
developed by
Charles Stark Draper
at the MIT Instrumentation
Laboratory.
 History
Since these early applications
in the 1960s, embedded systems have
come down in price and there has
been a dramatic rise in processing
power and functionality. The first
microprocessor for example, the
Intel 4004 was designed for
calculators and other small systems
but still required many external
memory and support chips.
History
By the mid-1980s, most of the
common previously external system
components had been integrated into
the same chip as the processor and
this modern form of the
microcontroller allowed an even more
widespread use, which by the end of
the decade were the norm rather than
the exception for almost all electronics
devices.
 Advantages of Embedded System
 Low cost.

 Small size.

 High reliability.

 Fast operations.

 Easy to manufacture.

 Fewer interconnections.
 Applications of ES
• Medical Systems
– pace maker, patient monitoring systems, injection
systems, intensive care units, …
• Office Equipment
– printer, copier, fax, …
• Tools
– multimeter, oscilloscope, line tester, GPS, …
• Banking
– ATMs, statement printers, …
• Transportation
– (Planes/Trains/[Automobiles] and Boats)
• radar, traffic lights, signaling systems, …
 Applications of
• ES
Automobiles
– engine management, trip computer, cruise control,
immobilizer, car alarm,
– airbag, …
• Building Systems
– elevator, heater, air conditioning, lighting, key card
entries, locks, alarm systems, …
• Agriculture
– feeding systems, milking systems, …
• Space
– satellite systems, …
 Applications of ES
Household appliances:
Microwave ovens,
Television,
DVD Players &
Recorders
CLASSIFICATIONS OF EMBEDDED SYSTEM

Some of the criteria used in the classification of embedded systems are:

1.Based on generation
2.Complexity and performance requirements
3.Based on deterministic behaviour
4.Based on triggering.
The classification is based on the order in which the embedded processing systems
evolved from the first version to where they are today.
First Generation The early embedded systems were built around 8bit microprocessors
like 8085
Second Generation These are embedded systems built around 16bit microprocessors
and 8 or 16 bit microcontrollers
Third Generation With advances in processor technology, embedded system
developers started making use of powerful 32bit processors and 16bit microcontrollers
for their design
Fourth Generation The advent of System on Chips (SoC), reconfigurable processors
and multicore processors are bringing high performance, tight integration and
miniaturisation into the embedded device market.
Classification Based on Complexity and Performance

1. Small Scale Embedded System

2. Medium Scale Embedded System

3. Sophisticated Embedded System

 SMALL SCALE EMBEDDED SYSTEM

• Single 8 bit or 16bit Microcontroller.

• Little hardware and software complexity.

• They May even be battery operated.

• Usually “C” is used for developing these system.

• The need to limit power dissipation when system is

running continuously.
Programming tools:
Editor, Assembler
and Cross Assembler
 MEDIUM SCALE EMBEDDED SYSTEM

• Single or few 16 or 32 bit microcontrollers or Digital Signal

Processors (DSP) or Reduced Instructions Set Computers
(RISC).

• Both hardware and software complexity.

Programming tools:
RTOS, Source code Engineering
Simulator, Tool, and Integrated Development
Debugger
Environment (IDE).
 SOPHISTICATED EMBEDDED SYSTEM

• Enormous hardware and software complexity

• Which may need scalable processor or configurable processor

and programming logic arrays.

• Constrained by the processing speed available in their

hardware units.

Programming Tools:
For these systems may not be readily available at a
reasonable cost or may not be available at all. A compiler or retargetable
compiler might have to br developed for this.
What is inside an embedded system ?
 Every embedded system consists of custom-built
hardware built around a Central Processing Unit (CPU). This
hardware also contains memory chips onto which the software
is loaded. The software residing on the memory chip is also
called the ‘firmware’.

 The operating system runs above the hardware, and the

application software runs above the operating system. The
same architecture is applicable to any computer including a
desktop computer. However, there are significant differences.
It is not compulsory to have an operating system in every
embedded system.
Layered architecture of an Embedded System
Now let us see the details of the various building blocks of the hardware of an
embedded system.
 Central Processing Unit (CPU)
 Memory (Read only memory and Random access memory)
 Input Devices
 Output Devices
 Communication interfaces
 Application specific circuitry
Hardware architecture of an embedded system
 Features of an embedded system
Embedded systems do a very specific task, they cannot be
programmed to do different things.

 Embedded systems have very limited resources, particularly the memory. Generally,
they do not have secondary storage devices such as the CDROM or the floppy disk.

 Embedded systems have to work against some deadlines. A specific job has to be
completed within a specific time. In some embedded systems, called real-time
systems, the deadlines are stringent. Missing a dead line may cause a catastrophe –
loss of life or damage to property.
• Embedded systems are constrained for power, As many embedded systems operate
through a battery, the power consumption has to be very low.
• Some embedded systems have to operate in extreme environmental conditions such
as very high temperatures and humidity.
• Unlike desktop computers in which the hardware platform is dominated by Intel
and the operating system is dominated by Microsoft, there is a wide variety of
processors and operating systems for the embedded systems. So, choosing the right
platform is the most complex task .
Languages used in ES
Assembly Language:
 Lowest-level human-readable method for programming
 Platform specific
 No need for compilation
 Used by some compilers, such as GCC, to convert high-level languages (such as
C) into platform-dependent assembly language before assembling into machine
language.
Languages used in ES
C Language:
 Source files ‘linked’ together
 Ability to program in assembly right inside the C- code
 Easy to write and portable
 Knowledge of C enables freedom
 Purpose of Embedded Systems
•Embedded systems are used in various domains like consumer electronics, home
automation, telecommunications, automotive industry, healthcare, control &
instrumentation, retail and banking applications, etc. Within the domain itself, according
to the application usage context, they may have different functionalities. Each
embedded system is designed to serve the purpose of any one or a combination of the
following tasks:

 Data collection/Storage/Representation

 Data Communication

 Data (signal) processing

 Monitoring

 Control

 Application specific user interface

 (i) Data Collection/Storage/Representation
 Embedded systems designed for the purpose of data collection performs acquisition of data
from the external world.
 Data collection is usually done for storage, analysis, manipulation and transmission.

 The term “data” refers all kinds of information, such as text, voice, image, video, electrical
signals and any other measurable quantities.
 Data can be either analog (continuous) or digital (discrete).
 Embedded systems with analog data capturing techniques collect data directly in the form of
analog signal whereas embedded systems with digital data collection mechanism converts the
analog signal to the digital signal using analog to digital (A/D) converters and then collects the
binary equivalent of the analog data.
 If the data is digital, it can be directly captured without any additional interface by digital
embedded systems.

 The collected data may be stored directly in the system or may be transmitted to some other systems or it
may be processed by the system or it may be deleted instantly after giving a meaningful representation.
 (i) Data Collection/Storage/Representation (Cont’d)

 Embedded system designed for pure measurement applications without storage,

used in control and instrumentation domain, collects data and gives a meaningful
representation of the collected data by means of graphical representation or quantity
value and deletes the collected data when new arrives at the data collection terminal.
 Analog and digital CROs without storage memory are typical examples of this. Any
measuring equipment used in the medical domain for monitoring without storage
functionality also comes under this category.

 A digital camera is a typical example of an embedded system with data

collection/storage/representation of data. Images are captured and the captured
image may be stored within the memory of the camera. The captured image can also
be presented to the user through a graphic LCD unit.
(ii) Data Communication
 Embedded data communication systems are deployed in applications
from complex satellite communication systems to simple home networking
systems.
 The data collected by an embedded terminal may require transferring of the
same to some other system located remotely.

 The transmission is achieved either by a wire-line medium or by a wire-less

medium.

 Wire-line medium was the most common choice in all olden days embedded
systems.

 As technology is changing, wireless medium is becoming the standard for data

communication in embedded systems. It offers cheaper connectivity solutions and
make the communication link free from the hassle of wire bundles.
(ii) Data Communication (Cont’d)
 The data collecting embedded terminal itself can incorporate data
communication units like Wireless modules (Bluetooth, ZigBee, Wi-Fi, EDGE,
GPRS, etc.) or wire-line modules (RS-232C, USB, TCP/IP, PS2,etc).

 Certain embedded systems act as a dedicated transmission unit

between the sending and receiving terminals, offering sophisticated
functionalities like data packetizing, encrypting and decrypting.

 Network hubs, routers, switches, etc. are typical examples of dedicated data
transmission embedded systems.

 They act as mediators in data communication and provide

various features like data security, monitoring etc.
(iii) Data (Signal) Processing

 The data (voice, image, video, electrical signals and other measurable
quantities) collected by embedded systems may be used for various kinds of
data processing.

 Embedded systems with signal processing functionalities are employed in

applications demanding signal processing like speech coding, synthesis,
audio video codec, transmission applications, etc.

 A digital hearing aid is a typical example of an embedded system employing

data processing. Digital hearing aid improves the hearing capacity of hearing
impaired persons.
(iv) Monitoring
 Almost all embedded products coming under the medical domain are with monitoring
functions only.

 They are used for determining the state of some variables using input sensors. They cannot
impose control over variables.

 A very good example is the electro cardiogram (ECG) machine for monitoring the heartbeat
of a patient. The machine is intended to do the monitoring of the heartbeat of a patient but it
cannot impose control over the heartbeat. The sensors used in ECG are the different electrodes
connected to the patient’s body.

 Other examples with monitoring function are measuring instruments like digital CRO, digital
multimeters, logic analyzers., etc. used in control & instrumentation applications. They are used
for knowing (monitoring) the status of some variables like current, voltage, etc. They cannot
control the variables in turn.
(v) Control

 Embedded systems with control functionalities impose control over some

variables according to the changes in input variables.

 A system with control functionality contains both sensors and actuators.

 Sensors are connected to the input port for capturing the changes in
environmental variable or measuring variable.

 The actuators connected to the output port are controlled according to the changes
in the input variable to put an impact on the controlling variable to bring the
controlled variable to the specified range.

 Air conditioner system used in our home to control the room temperature to a
specified limit is a typical example for embedded system for control purpose. An air
conditioner contains a room temperature sensing element (sensor) which may be
thermistor and a handheld unit for setting up (feeding) the desired temperature.
(v) Control (Cont’d)

 The handheld unit may be connected to the central embedded unit residing
inside the air conditioner through a wireless link or through a wired link.

 The air compressor unit acts as the actuator. The compressor is controlled according
to the current room
• temperature and the desired temperature set by the end user.

 The input variable is the current room temperature and the controlled variable is
also the room temperature. The controlling variable is cool air flow by the
compressor unit.

 If the controlled variable and input variable are not at the same value, the
controlling variable tries to equalize them through taking actions on the cool air
flow.
(vi) Applications specific user interface

 Buttons, switches, keypad, lights, speakers, display units, etc. are

application-specific user interfaces.

 Mobile phone is an example of application specific user interface. In

mobile phone, the user interface is provided through the keypad,
graphic LCD module, system speaker, vibration alert, etc.

4
5
Lecture Slides for Textbook Introduction to Embedded
Understanding Test Questions I
1. Embedded systems are

(a) General purpose

(b) Special purpose

2. Embedded system is

(a) An electronic system

(b) A pure mechanical system

(c ) An electro-mechanical system
3.Which of the following is (are) an intended purpose(s) of embedded systems?

(a) Data collection (b) Data processing (c ) Data communication (d) All
of these (e) None of these

4.Which of the following is an (are) example(s) of embedded system for data

communication?
(a) USB Mass storage device (b) Network router (c) Music player

(d) Digital camera (c ) None of these (e) All of these

5.A digital multi meter is an example of an embedded system for

(a) Data communication (b) Monitoring (c) Control

(d) All of these (e) None of these